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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Paul Konchesky today backed Roy Hodgson to get Liverpool clicking into gear and ascending the Barclays Premier League table over the coming months. The defender acknowledges the Reds have endured a mixed start to the 2010-11 season, but following the morale-boosting victory over Blackburn Rovers last time out, he's optimistic the side will soon begin to display their true potential. And Konchesky is in no doubt Hodgson is the right man to lead Liverpool forward. He said: "He wanted to come to Liverpool and do really well. It has been tough for him, just as it has been tough for us, but he is the one who gets the brunt of it. "But I think he is the man who can take Liverpool forward. He works hard on the training ground, he wants to help you improve from day-to-day. "He is not ashamed to tell you things that he thinks should be happening but if the players think something can be done another way, he will listen and take it on board. He is now starting to get his points of view across and I'm sure he can take us a long way. "We have had a bad time and we have had to stick together. The manager has taken the brunt of the criticism but he has stayed in good spirits to try and lift the players. Hopefully we can now go from strength to strength." Konchesky has experienced a whirlwind couple of months since following Hodgson from Fulham to Anfield on transfer deadline day in August. Injuries have restricted the full- back to just seven appearances so far, while off the field, New England Sports Ventures tied up their purchase of the club. "When you are on the outside, you read about the things that are going on but you don't really appreciate them," admitted Konchesky. "It's completely different when you come in and see it for yourself. It was hard at first to try and settle in. "But I've got my head down and the lads have made me feel really welcome. In general, I've had a great two months here and I'm looking forward to the future. Touch wood, I feel fit now and hopefully I've had my share of injuries. I just want to have a good season now." Confidence around Melwood has been buoyed by two highly encouraging displays against Napoli and Blackburn. After grinding out a hard-fought goalless draw in Naples, Liverpool recorded a 2-1 victory over Sam Allardyce's side on Sunday to end a sequence of seven matches without a win. The tempo and intensity of the Reds' triumph against Rovers was particularly eye-catching - and Konchesky is hoping they can maintain that momentum at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday. "It wasn't just the result, it was the performance," he said. "From Napoli going into Bolton, you can see we've picked up a bit and there is a lot of fight. I think it is a sign that we are getting back on the road. "There's a chance to get some momentum going now. It would have been tough if we had not got a result last weekend but things feel much better and the only way everyone is looking now is up. The aim now is to get back-to-back wins and push forward. "We have had chances in the games we have lost and drawn but when the luck isn't going for you, there is not a lot you can do. But we set a tone last Sunday and kept going. It was one-way traffic and we just had to be patient." Konchesky has already lined-up at the Reebok Stadium this season when he helped Fulham to a goalless opening-day draw in Lancashire. He is, therefore, well aware of the threat Owen Coyle's outfit will pose. "They have changed the way they play," said the Reds' No.3. "I was there when Fulham played them earlier in the season and they do try and play football but they can still go long if need be. It will be tough but if we can start as we did against Blackburn, there's no reason why we can't win again."